1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid container having a spout, and, more particularly, to a vented spout that is connectable to a liquid container.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid containers generally include a spout or a pouring protrusion to facilitate the directing of the liquid to an intended receiving vessel. It is known in U.S. Pat. No. 1,436,708 to provide a pouring nozzle for bottles including a stopper having a pouring orifice therethrough. U.S. Pat. No. 1,454,803 discloses a dispensing vessel including a can body having a closed top and a pouring spout secured to the top of the can. A vent tube extends parallel to the spout and extends slightly beyond the outer end of the spout. The inner side of the vent tube extends into a box-like valve casing having an opening or port in its lower side. When the can is tilted to pour its contents out through the spout, the valve rolls out of a seat toward the end of the vent tube. A pin is arranged in the valve casing immediately in front of the end of the tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,338,482 discloses a dispensing bottle having a pouring spout. A channel of the spout narrows rapidly as it proceeds upwardly and makes an angular turn having an opening through which the liquid being poured passes. A small, hollow air bleeder is positioned within the spout.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,901,417 discloses a device for venting of jerry cans having a tube that is not quite horizontal. A free end of the tube terminates close before a rear wall of the can. By way of the dimensioning, the free end is practically always within an air bubble when the can is discharged by pouring in the usual manner, so that air streaming through the end does not have to bubble through the liquid in order to reach the large air bubble.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,111 discloses a vented pouring spout having a venting tube provided within the pouring spout. The venting tube is positioned so as to extend from an outlet end that projects slightly from the outlet end of the spout member, to an inlet end that extends from an inlet end and is directed generally upwardly so that a free end thereof will be located within the air space formed in the container above the fluid level. The vent tube is attached within the pouring passage by way of a clip.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,513 discloses a pourer pipe having venting passages that lie opposite to each other. The vent passages are arranged symmetrically in relation to a plane.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,355 discloses a portable liquid transfer container and dispensing nozzle with a non-movable part free flow, vapor recovery and overfill prevention system including an airtight rigid container. A dispensing nozzle is fastened to the container. A flexible internal conduit is attached to the dispensing nozzle at its top end with fillets extending to about one-half of the dispensing nozzle opening. An internal conduit extends from the top tip of the dispensing nozzle, through the nozzle, and into the top and back of the container.
DES. 399,048 is a design patent that discloses what appears to be a bite valve shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 connected to a supply tube as shown in FIG. 4. In FIGS. 1-3, there is illustrated a vent plug that is in an extended position in FIGS. 1 and 3 and in a closed position in FIG. 2.
D491,664 discloses a vented contrast media reservoir cap assembly (FIGS. 1-13) and is a design patent that illustrates a sealable opening and a vented hole having offset air passageways to interior of the container.
Patent Application Publication No. U.S. 2010/0230447 discloses a pour spout with a drip suppressing feature including a first circular aperture that is smaller than the second circular aperture and is aligned with a bore of a vent tube. The vent tube has a first end adjacent an interior surface of a disk portion and extends through the interior of the hollow cylindrical portion and the hollow intermediary portion to a second end located outside the hollow cylindrical portion. As liquid is dispensed from the bottle through the second circular aperture, the vent tube allows air to enter the bottle, equalizing the pressure within the bottle and preventing the contents of the bottle from backing up and pouring out in an uneven manner.
What is needed in the art is a flexible vent tubing that is part of the cap and provides for quick efficient transfer of the liquid from a container and allows for self-nesting of the spout apart from the container.